Protective fuel-valve for automobiles.



H. KORTUM. PROTECTIVE FUEL VALVE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTA, 1914'. v

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

IVENTOR riam ATTO R N EY which the following is whereby the fuel supplymay HENRY KURT-UM, ornnvnnron r, IOWA.

: sane n rnn'r onrron. V

rnornc'rrvn FUEL-VALVE ron, Au'romoBILns;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 4. 1914. Serial 110,860,268!

- when the automobileus left unattended, to

prearranged ing the fuel therebyprevent f the vehicle.

In accordance with the present there is rovided a valve structureadapted to be inc uded in the duct or pipe connecttank' of theautomobile with the carbureteryand this'valve is of a character suchthatfit may be termed a permutation valve 7 requiring it unauthorizeduse 0 samemanner as is required 'forthe proper manipulation ofpermutation. locks. 'The valve comprisesa suitable "casing with a seriesof interconnected-valve plug sections with ducts therethrough coac'tingwith. ducts in the casing n such manner that, the inlet and outlet ends"of the brought into conjunction when the valve plug sections havebeenm'ovedinto certain relation; By making the valve plug of two alinement,with each section controlling the next section n order, and eachsectionhaving a duct or passagetherethrough movable into coincidencewith corresponding ducts the completion'vof a .or passages in I valveplug sections'may be moved together and separately'to bring them allinto coincidence with the casing passages, so that at proper series ofmovements the valve s; open, but may be readily closed by a movementofthe valve plug or a, section thereof in: either direction. To anv oneknowing the t P p the valve isreadily. opened, but to one,i'gno-,. rantof the; combination manently' closed, lating member and suitable dial onthe 1nstr'ument board of the dashzofthe vehicle or at any otherconvenient point, 'tlie operaj tor has control of the gasolenejvalve andknowing the combination mayrea'dilyopen it, which condition Konrum, a

the proper to protective vision is made invention tailed description,

to be manipulated in certain directions and to certain extents in thecasing are only or three or more sections in.

the valve cas ng, the several 7 a valve casing combination,

of the invention, .At respectively opposite ends of the opposite edgesof the valve casthe valve is 'performed, these nipples By the aid of a:nranipu- -to the valve and the pipe 5 as leadingfrom the. valve to thecarburetor,

it will remain so long Wh n, however, the

as the'operator desires.

vehicle isto be left unattended,a simple turnmember w of'themanipulating close the valve against any probability of the valve be-Patented Jan. 19, 1915..

ing again opened except by one familiar with combination,which'combination, of course,-need not be imparted to any one notauthorized to operate the vehicle. Frotion' without any change in thestructure of the device, sothat the owner of the vehicle change the inwhich event any unauthorized person having gained knowledge of thecombination will no longer be able to open the valve.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing dotaken in connection with the accompan ing derstanding thatwhile a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined toany strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but maybechanged and modified 7 so long as such chan es and modifications mark nomaterial eparture from the salient features of the invention. H

, In the drawings -Figure 1 is a longitudinalsection of the improvedstrument boardof the automobile, Fig. 2 is a section on theline 2-2 ofFig. 1, some distantparts being omitted. Fig; 3 is a section on. theline 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the valve plug withthe partsseparated axially and-with some' parts broken-away structure.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown '1 which in the particularshowing is in the formof an elongated block wider than thick, and havingthe long edges somewhat rounded, shape .of the casing 1 is not at allobliatory, since the-valve casing may be of va rious shapes withoutaffecting the workings to better disclose one ingg'nipple's 2, 3 arebemg internally threaded for the reception" of respective pipes 4, 5,the-pipe 4 being considered as leading from the gasolene tank.

being considered butthe particular.

for a changein the combmacombination at any time, I

175 drawings forming a part. -of this speci cation,'-with the furtherun-- th'e drawings show,

p safety valve showing a connection therefrom to the in-p 1 20 dricalblocks' but as both the tank and carbureter are present in nearly allautomobiles it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate them.

Extending axially through the valve cas- 5 ing is a bore 6 which may beof equal diameter throughout, although this is not obligatory, while atthe ends of the. bore are counterbores, one receiving a plug-Wand theother a packing gland 8. The plug 7 is threaded into the correspondingcounterbore and may confine a packing ring 9 therein, while the gland 8is threaded into the respective counterbore and confinesa packing ring10 and packing material 11, the latter being contained in a suitablecavity formed in the corresponding face of the gland 8. Between the plug7 and gland 8 there is lodged in the bore 6 a. valve plug comprising inthe particular showing of the drawings three cylin 12, 13, 14,respectively, but it will be understood that the invention is notconfined to a multi-sectional valve of three sections, since under somecircumstances two sections 'might answer and for other pur- 25 poses itmight be desirable to use four or more sections.

The valve section 12 is formed at one end with an axial stem 15projecting through the gland 8 and engaged by the packing 11.

so The stem 15 may be as long as desired and may extend to any lengthnecessary loeyond the corresponding end of the valve. Where the stem 15cannot follow a straight line to the manipulating end it has one end ofa 35 flexible shaft=16 connected to it, and the other end of this shaftcarries a manipulating member 17 which may be in the form of a wheel, orhave any other suitable shapeh In the particular showing of the drawin s40 the manipulating member 17 is mounted in v a board 18 which may beconsidered as the instrument board usually supplied at the dash portionof the automobile. The manipulating member 17 is shown as formed as witha stem 19 extending through the board 18 and there attached to thecorresponding end of the shaft 16. The stem 19 outside of the board 18is provided with a pointer 20 movable over a dial 21 held in position byso screws 22 or otherwise. A similar dial 21 may be secured to that endof the valve body or casing 1 through which. the stem 15 projects, andthis dial 21 is held by screws 22 to the valve casing. A plan view ofthe 55 dial 21 is shown in Fig. 3 from which it appears that there areindicia 23 about the marginal portion of the dial, which, as iscustomary, is circular, while arc-shaped slots .24L are formed throughthe dial plate on opco posite sides of the center thereof. and theseslots are traversed by' the screws 22*, so that the dial may be turnedupon its center through arcs of considerable extent. At other points onopposite sides of the center as of the dial are passages 25 provided forthe reception of a spanner permitting the adjustment of the dial asdesired. Gripped about the stem 15 and made fast thereto is a pointer orfinger 26 adapted to the dial 21 The dial 21 is assumed to 'be ofsimilar structure and capable of similar adjustment to the dial 21 andthe fingers 20 and 26 have similar functions.

The pipe 4- opens into a duct 27 in turn opening into the bore 6 of thevalve casing near one end thereof, the duct 27 where opening into thebore 6 having an angle bend 28. On the other side of the bore from theduct 27'is a return duct 29 having one end in line with the angle bend28 and extending lengthwise ofthe bore 6 a distance to straddlethejunction between the blocks 12 and 13 of the valve plug. Straddling thejunction of the blocks 13 and 14 of the valve plug and located in thebody of the valve on the same side as the duct 27, but opposite to theduct 29, is another return duct 30 hav ing one end in line with thecorresponding end of the duct 29 and the other end in line with an angleportion 31 of a duct 32 on the same side of the body 1 as the duct 29and corresponding to the duct 27 with its angle extension 28. The duct32 opens into the pipe 5. Y

Extending diagonallythrough the block W 12 is a duct 33, and extendingsimilarly through the blocks 13 and 14 are respective diagonal ducts 3eand 35. The angles of the ducts 33, 34 and are such that they may bebrought into coincidence with the respective ducts in the body member.The duct 33 is so located that upon rotation of the block 12 to theproper position those portions of the ducts 27 and 29 opening into thebore 6 within the range of the block 12 are joined. and when the blocks13 and i i are properly positioned the ducts 34 and 35 through them jointhe ducts 29 and 30 and 30 and 32, respectively.

Therblock 12 has at the end remote from the stem 15 an axial spindle 36and the corresponding end of the bloclI 13 is provided with a socket 37adapted to 'eceive the spindle 36.- That end of the block 13 remote fromthe socket 37 is provided with an axial spindle 38 and the block 14 atthe corres'ponding end is formed with an axial socket v39 adapted toreceive the spindle 38.

Thematching ends of the blocks 12 and 13 are. formed with respectivelugs 40 and L a l extending from the ends of the blocks in the directionparallel with the longitudinal axis of the blocks and also radial to theaxis of rotation of the blocks. The matching ends of the blocks 13 and14 are provided with similar lugs 42 and 13, respectively. When thevalve plug is assei spindle 36 and 38 in the sockets 37 and 39, the lugs40 and tl engage the. respective faces of the blocks 12 and 13, and thelugs litibled with the 34 is in line with the mamas 4'2 and i3 engagethe respective end faces of the blocks 13 and 1 When any one of theblocks is turned sufficiently its lugs engage the lugs of the otherblocks, and on a continued turning the engaged blocks are also turned.

Suppose, valve is' close,

by way of example, that the which happens whenever a ductthrough any oneof the blocks is out of communication with matching ductsin the body ofthe valve. In the particular arrangement shown in the open position. Ifany one of the blocks be displaced sufliciently to carry the ductthrough the block out of communication with any one of the companionducts,.the valve becomes closed. Let it be supposed that this hasoccurred, and that it is the desire of the operator to First themanipulating handle of the valve plug is rotated to the right a numberof times, say, three or more times, stopping at a point intermediatelybetween A and B on the dial of Fig. This will bring block 14: so thatits duct 35 is in communication with the ducts 3G and 32, the blockretaining its position frictionally. Now, the handle is rotated in thereverse direction; that is, toward the left, for one complete turn, andthe movement is continued until the pointer is midway between E and F.This brings block 13'into position so that its duct ducts 29 and=30,block 14 in the meantime remaining quiescent.

Finally, the manipulating-member is turned again to the right until thepointer is' midway between B and C of the dial, this move? ment bringingblock 12 into position, so that its duct 33 is in line with the ducts 27and 29, in which position the valve is open and the pipes 4: and 5 arein free communication;

If the valve plug consists of more thanthree associated blocks, then thesetting of the valve to the open position becomes more complicated. Ifit consists of but two blocks, the setting of the valve iscorrespondingly simplified. The arrangement is a permutationarrangement, whereby the displacement of anyone of the blocks from theopen position causes the closing of the the operator is careful to turnvalve, and if member 17 through a conthe manipulating .siderable rangeof movement the blocks are so displaced with relation one 'tothe otherfrom the open position that no amount of. manipulation is liable toagain set the valve in the open position, especially when suchmanipulation is attempted. by one unfa but the setting of the valve is avery simple matter and very quickly performed by one knowing thecombination.

For the initial setting of the valve plii'g;

sections in the open position, or in case 5 loss of the combinatiom thefinding of it,

' ing the Fig. 1 the valve is in- .again open the valve.-

13 and 14 is provided at a with a -notch 44:, while the to the block 14,the proper position of the latter is readily found and then byreverslating member and with the aid of a pin introduced into thepassage 45', the' proper position of the. block 13 is ascertained.Similarly the proper position of the block 12 is found, the operatortaking note of the various movements and indications of the pointer onthe dial while finding these proper positions, whereby the combinationis ascertained. To prevent any unauthorized person from similarlyfinding the com 'bination, the holes 45 are each closed by a plug 46after the combination is found.

The'combination so' far as the dial is concerned may be changed at anytime by loosening the screws 22 or 22 and rotating the dial for,alimited distance, this not changing the direction or extent of rotationof the'manipulating member, but the stopping points, while actually thesame,

1. has'holes 45 bored there direction of rotation of the manipuaredifferently indicated on the. dial, and f one familiar with thecombination before -the dial is reset would be unable to open the valvewith thedial reset without knowing' the new dial positions. vAfter theproper combination has been ascertained the dial 21 and pointer. 26' maybe dispensed with o'rthey may remain in position indefinitely.

The improved valve is protectiveof thevehicle since it provides a meansfor cut ting off the supply of gasolene from the carbureter, so thateven if the machine be started it will quickly come to rest because,'machine be familiar with the combination it is practically impossibleto again connect up the gasolene tank with the carbureter.

What is claimed is I a 1. A permutation valve for insertion in the lineof communication between the gasduct sections-together, and asingle-manipulating means for the plug.

2QA permutation valve for insertion in the line of communication betweenthe gasolene tankand carbureter ofan automobile,

comprising an elongated casing with a a casing with an inlet andan ofthe exhaustion of the small amount of fuel available and unless the"operator of the s ngle bore and with an inlet to the casingcommunicating with the bore near one end 41 was 1 thereof, and an outletcommunicating with the bore near the other end thereof, and said casinghaving intermediate duct sections communicating with the bore at pointsbetween the inlet and outlet, and a multiple plug made up of blocks onemore in number than the intermediate duct sections of the valve witheach block having a lost motion connection With the next in order forturnand also with a. passage therethrough for connecting the ductsections through the casing, and means for turning the plug sections inopposite directions in accordance with a predetermined combination.

3. A permutation valve for insertion in the line of communicationbetween the gas olene tank and carburetor of an automobile, comprising acasing with a sectional plug with passages through the sections andother passages through the body of the valve, and a single manipulatingmeans for moving the plug sections to bring the passages therein inharmonywvith the passages through the casing,

4. A permutation valve for insertion in the line of communicationbetween the gas olene tank and carbureter of an automobile, comprisingacasing and a series oi plug sections in axial relation and having lostmotion connections, the casing and plug sections being also providedwith coactively related passages or ducts, and means for moving the plugsections in accordance with a predetermined combination to bring thepassages in harmony.

5. A permutation valve for insertion in the line of communicationbetween the gas olene tank and carburetor of an automobile,-

comprising a casing with a sectional permutation valve plug having thesections in axial alinement, a single manipulatingmeans for the plug,and a dial in coactive relation to the manipulating means, said dialbeing mounted for movement to diffcreut positions for changingthereading 01 the combination.

6. A permutation valve for insertion in the line oi 'communicationbetween the gasolene-tank and carburetor of an automobile, comprising avalve casing and a permutation plus composed of an axially arrangedseries at interconnected sections, a single manipulating means for theplug, and a dial associated with the manipulating means and movable todifferent positions about the axis of the manipulating means, said dialcomprising a plate with arc-shaped slots therein struck from the axis ofrotation of the manipulating means, and fastening devices foiholding thedial in place, said fastening device's extending through the slots.

7. A permutation valve for insertion in the line of communicationbetween the gasolene tank-and carburetor of an automobile, comprising anelongated valve casing with a longitudinal bore therethrough, and ductsconin'uunicatlng at dlfierent points with the bore, closure members forthe ends of the bore, a multiple valve plug lodged in bore andcomprising an alined series of blocks, each with a passage therethroughmovable into coincidence with corresponding ones of the passages orducts in the easing, each block being provided at one side of itslongitudinal axis with a lug adapted to engage a corresponding lug inthe adjacent block, and means for rotating the blocks about thelongitudinal axis of the plug to bring all the ducts or passages throughthe valve into harmony.

8. i permutation valve for insertion in the line of comn'iunicationbetween the gasolene tank and carluu-eter of an automobile, comprisingan elongated valve casing with a longitudinal bore therethrough andducts communicating at dil'l'crcnt points with the bore, closure membersfor the ends of the bore, a multiple valve plug lodged in the bore andcomprising an alined series of blocks each with a passage therethroughmovable into coincidence with corresponding ones of the passages orducts in the cusing, each block being provided at one side of itslongitudinal axis with a lug adapted to engage a corresponding lug onthe adjacent block, and means for rotating the blocks about thelongitudinal axis of the plug'to bring all the ducts or passages throughthe valve into harn'iony, each block of the plug being provided with anotch and the body of the valve having passages extending from theexterior thereof to the bore and the passages and notches being locatedwith erence to each other to be in coincidence when the ducts throughthe blocks are in harmony with the ducts in the valve casing.

9. A permutation valve for insertion in the line of connnunicationbetween the gasolenc tank and carburetor of an automobile, comprising anelongated casing having a longitudinal bore therethrough with inlet andoutlet ducts communicating with the bore near opposite ends thereof andwith intermediate return ducts communicating at spaced points with thebore on opposite sides thereof, and a valve plug seated in the bore andcomprising a plurality oi blocks in alinem'ent, each block having adiagonal duct therethrough movable into barmony with corresponding ductsin the valve casing and with the matching ends of the blocks providedwith lugs nojectingfrom the said ends oi the blocks engthwise of theblocks and of restricted circumferential area to permit rotation of eachblock in either direction for a distance less than a full turn withoutcausing partici mtion of the next block in order in such movement,

10. ii valve provided with a sectional valve plugcomprisinginterconnected sections in permutational relation, 'and meansIn testimony, that I claim the foregoing for moving the plug sections inaccordance as my oWn, I have hereto afiixed my slgna- 10 withapredetermined combination to bring ture in the presence of twowitnesses.

the valve to the open condition.

5 11. A valve provided with a sectional HENRY KORTUM' valve plug and asingle means'for the actua- Witnesses: tion of the plug, the sections ofthe valve A. J. GOETTIG,

'plug being permutationally connected. E. MUKLEY.

